1. Field of Invention
The invention is directed to packing element systems for use in a work or tool string disposed in a wellbore to isolate one or more zones of the wellbore from one or more other zones in the wellbore.
2. Description of Art
Referring to FIG. 1, prior packing element systems 200 include a housing or mandrel 211 with a packing element 212 disposed thereon. Each end of packing element 212 includes housing or support 213 to facilitate elastic expansion of packing element 212 away from mandrel 211 when an axial load is placed on packing element 212 at axial load points 214. Each end of packing element 212 also includes two back-up elements 215, 216 each of which are shown as two metal petal back-ups having bottom petal back-up 217 and top petal back-up 218, or a phenolic back-up (not shown) which is known in the art. A Teflon® barrier is also known to be included in the case of a metal petal back-up element.